With stay-at-home orders forcing many of us indoors, 25-year-old Brighton resident Maggie Patterson is taking advantage of the time on a “serious home improvement” kick, hanging up exactly one mirror in the living room of her shared apartment.
“I spent weeks exploring interior design Instagrams then I got this strong urge to do fun, creative home improvement projects,” said Patterson. “My brand of art emphasizes spatial design and surface embellishments, and artists like me need to act on their creative impulses or else they die.”
Witnesses who share the apartment with Patterson were unaware that the mirror is part of “a whole thing”.
“I wish she asked us before she started banging nails into the wall,” says one roommate. “I was on a job interview in the other room and later I didn’t get the job, which is annoying because I’ve been unemployed since March.”
“Maggie was so ignorantly proud of herself and none of us had the patience to correct her definition of home improvement.”
Like most beginners, Maggie ran into challenges when mounting the mirror, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to hone her craft.
“We don’t talk enough about how expensive it is for beginners in home improvement,” she said. “Like, I don’t even own a hammer, so I had to hit the nail into the wall using my shoe.”
When asked about any future projects that would add to comfort, repairs, or energy-saving utilities to the apartment, Maggie was unsure.
“I want to frame this concert poster I’ve had for years, but frames are really expensive and scary to hang. Also our bathroom tiles are getting moldy, but the chemicals for that are so harsh. Maybe I’ll just hire a Taskrabbit.”
What an inspiring story of empowerment! We can’t wait to see how she develops her new skills and talents!
